“Book Blurbs”

A Language Arts activity emphasizing the Language Arts Strand- Reading

I. Concepts to be taught

-Identifying the climax of a story.

-Reading Comprehension

II. Behavioral Objectives

-The students will be able to identify, describe and illustrate events from a story.

III. Materials Needed:

Large (18×12) white construction paper folded in half, markers or crayons, pencil, Student selected book

IV. Teaching/ Learning Procedures:

Show students examples of book jackets and the blurbs either inside or on the back of them. Explain how the jackets make the readers want to read the book by looking at the picture on the front and reading a few important details about the story on the back or inside cover. Ask the children to make a book jacket for each book that they enjoy reading by drawing an interesting picture and writing a short piece of the story to encourage other students to read it. Tell the children that the book blurbs do not tell the whole story- just an interesting or exciting part that will make the readers want to read and find out more. Blurbs do not give away the ending or tell the whole story. Explain to the students that a short comment on the reader’s reaction to the book is also included in the book blurb. Direct the students to include one to two sentences about what they thought of the book on the end of there story blurb. Allow students to complete a book blurb each time they complete a book and display them on the bulletin board or on the wall for other students to review when choosing books from the classroom library.

V. Evaluation: The Teacher will evaluate student progress by observing students working and questioning students about different aspects of the book to check for comprehension of what they have read. In addition, a completed book blurb with all the relevant elements described will be used as evaluation.

VI. Supplemental Items:

As students become more comfortable with their role as book critics/ blurb writers they will be able to publish their reviews on the classroom website. The total book blurbs created by individual students can be bound and used as a personal reading record.

E-Mail

Dana L. Craig

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